On The Wings of Fire
by HotohoriAurion
Summary: Batman Begins The Crow crossover. Sarah has just returned to Gotham city after leaving a year before, leaving all of her 'friends' and contacts behind to cope with herself. On the night of Ra's Al Ghul attack on Gotham she runs into an
1. Chapter 1

**Rating:** M (for brief language, violence, and mentioned adult themes)  
**Description:** Batman Begins/The Crow (only the first movie) crossover-

Sarah has just returned to Gotham city after leaving a year before, leaving all of her 'friends' and contacts behind to cope with herself. On the night of Ra's Al Ghul attack on Gotham she runs into an old aquantence, and attempts to save him from himself. But what if she is to far gone herself, will they fall to the pit together?  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of these people,or places. They are property of the wonderful souls who created them. Though I may have a few outside characters come in that are from my demented little mind.

Now, on with the show!

**Chapter 1**

Hell on earth; that was the best way to describe Gotham City, tonight that statement never held truer. The horrific images that raced through her mind could turn even the sanest person into a raving lunatic. The ever present screams were distorted into a symphony of screeching, a sound that could wake the dead from their eternal slumber.

Hellish creatures ran to and fro, some attempting to rip each other apart exposing gleaming white bone that just as quickly gushed with a vividly red blood. The streets were the definition of havoc, mayhem, pandemonium, and hysteria all rolled in one. She was at this point in awe that she still had her head, figuratively and literally.

Just as she thought this she saw movement ahead of her. Through the clouds of ash and fog she laid her eyes on a shape that made her blood run cold. A beast spawned in the deepest pits of hell serving as the mount to the lord of the underworld. Hades himself it seemed had risen from his domain to unleash his fury on the world of the living. The beast could be mistaken for a horse, an earth bound creature, but she had never seen a horse such as it. With its blazing red eyes, pitch black mane, and; by far the most unsettling, columns of flame erupting from is muzzle.

Her rational mind took control long enough to question what was the horse doing spurting fire from its nose. The simple, logical answer was they didn't, plain and simple. With a laugh she briefly considered shouting that fact to the beat, just in case it was unaware of the impossibility of its actions.

'Happy fing birthday Sarah. I always knew this would be the death of me, coming back to the god-forsaken city. We've all gone straight to hell in a hand basket, some deserve every minute of it.' This though brought forth another laugh, more malevolent then the last. Her eyes were still locked on the beast as it approached her at a steady gaunt; this in itself seemed to lessen the ferocity of its appearance.

'A man…is that a man in the saddle? Ok girl, time to see who your mysterious Hades really is.'

When the animal had come close enough for her to reach out and touch it is stopped. She decided to lean gently against it, just to prove it was flesh and bone, not fire and brimstone as it appeared. The soft flesh of the horse gave her comfort, the knowledge that this was all some freakish hallucination; her mind understood this as fact and not some vague hope in the back of her mind. She continued to reach forward, this time for the man slumped in the saddle, apparently unconscious. The rough scratchy feeling of burlap against her fingertips made her give pause. 'Why would someone be riding around the streets of a city on a horse wearing a burlap sack over their head? And why's he unconscious…it's a wonder he hasn't fallen off.'

With renewed determination Sarah began to pull the sack over the mans head, bracing her hand on his chest so as not to pull him from the horse. Even with the mind job the hallucinations had done on her, in her current state of mind she could recognize the all to familiar face, a face that had been in her thoughts for some time after leaving Gotham the first time.

The mysterious Hades was none other than her ex-psychiatrist, Dr. Jonathan Crane.

Ok...now that chapter One is over I would love any feedback you want to throw out to me, and please tell me if this is god enough to continue. I've started Chapter 2, but it may be a while so I can fine tune it for submitting. Thanks so much for reading my first attempt at a crossover!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

In a dingy apartment located in the outskirts of the Narrows Sarah sat with her legs drawn up to her chest on her cold hard wood floor, waiting for the hellish images to reside. Granted, they were no as vivid as they had been before she received the antidote, but it was a pain in the $$ not to be able to see straight. Hours of not being able to see straight would wear on anyone's nerves.

It was a wonder she had been able to make it back to her apartment and up four flights of rickety old stairs. Not to mention having to haul Dr. Crane up half slung over her shoulder. He was fairly light but so was she and it was four stories. But, after a few breaks, while gently propping Crane up against the nearest wall, they had made it up without incident.

Not twenty minutes after she had entered her apartment, laid Crane on the bed and taken a seat next to him resting her back against the wall, a knock at her front door had her bolting up off the bed. Slowly making her way to her front door, trying to avoid any pieces of furniture that might decide to jump out and trip her in her current state of mind, she opened the door to find a police officer holding her mortal enemy. Medication.

After he had expressed the drugs usage on counteracting the hallucinations he had opted to relieve her remaining sanity of the images and take the damn thing. After a quick story about her brother being asleep in the other room the officer left her another dosage for him.

She was partly surprised he didn't investigate, not knowing if she was a drug user or anything, but she chalked it up to lack of time on his part. She thanked the officer and shut her door was once more bolting it.

She then proceeded to make her way back the her bedroom, and rather then deciding no to resume her spot on the bed next to Crane she sank to the floor to wait out to drugs.

Sarah hoped the good Doctor would wake up soon; she had so many questions for him she had trouble clearing her flooded mind enough to o into a slight doze, listening with one ear for any sight of movement from the bed next to her.

a


	3. Chapter 3

yah! I got reviews! Thank you so much so reading my fic . Since people have said they want it to continue, continue it shall. This chapter is longer then the other two, hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 3

A soft groan woke Sarah from her light sleep, after stifling a yawn she stood from her position on the floor and stretched her aching muscles. Walking over a few feet to stand beside the bed where Dr. Crane lay, now with his eyes open focused on the ceiling unblinking. She was taken aback slightly by their startling blue color, they seemed more vibrant then she ever remembered seeing them.

Mentally shaking herself from her revere she slowly reached over to lay a hand on his forehead. His temperature felt slightly elevated, not warm enough to pass as a fever though, which she took as a good sign. One less thing to worry about on both their parts.

She was slightly concerned about the burn marks that marred his face, especially not being sure what has caused them, but she supposed it was yet another question she would have to ask him when he was of the mind to talk to her. Apart from rising a horse through the streets she also was curious to know what had rendered him unconscious, if indeed he even knew himself. Besides the burn, the only visible injuries were a few bruises that peppered his chest and arms, but she supposed that could have been cause by any number of things.

'_I hope he doesn't mind being half clothed, but was either that or let any wounds he had bleed. Had enough layers on though, he must have been quite warm in a suit and straightjacket.'_

Well, the way she figured it was if he minded he was more then welcome to put is shirt back on, though she also wanted to know why he had been wearing a straightjacket in the first place. Sarah tried, but could not picture Crane dressing up like that even for Halloween, he always worse a crisp suit, silk tie, and wool sweater.

Through all of her musing Dr. Crane's eyes remained on the ceiling, if it weren't for his visible breathing he could be taken for dead, she didn't remember seeing him blink yet. She guessed it was lucky for her, hopefully he hadn't noticed her staring at his chest for a good five minutes. Not that she had been paying attention to his chest, no, of course not, she was…thinking. And not about his chest! Well, at least not totally about his chest.

'_God damn it will you get a hold of yourself! Remember who your dealing with here, he's not the type of guy to let your guard down near.'_

Clearing her throat slightly she decided to break the silence between them.

"How are you feeling Dr. Crane?" By the smug smirk that now played across his full lips she wished she hadn't felt the need to break it.

The silence no longer held any form of comfort to her as she waited for him to reply. Of course she knew her question ha d a few very obvious answers, but she was hoping he would take that into consideration when he chose to answer her. If he chose to answer her.

When he finally moved it was to turn his head to look at her. She could see his left eyebrow slightly arched in questioning. His crystalline blue eyes were as piercing and intelligent as she remembered, but now she could tell what it was she had seen before in them. The gleam of madness.

Continuing to stare at her he scooted up so he was now in a sitting position on her bed, only a barely audible wince told her of his pain.

"I must admit, after your little disappearing act I did not think I would see you again."

He said this in such a tone that she felt as if she was a child being scolded for running away from chores.

Trying to ignore his sly grin she gave him a scolding look of her own. "And I must admit that I didn't expect to see you again. Especially riding unconscious through the streets of the Narrows wearing a straightjacket and a burlap sack over your head. Things don't always happen as we think, or hope them to, do they Doctor?" She put emphasis on the last part. The thinking she added, "And, you didn't answer my question."

Their staring contest or sorts was interrupted by a sudden loud cawing from the window to the left of where the two were positioned in the bedroom.

Crane looked back at her from the crow that was now perched on her windowsill watching them intently. "Friend of yours? Oh, yes, how could I forget." His gaze was mocking, "Eric was it? Is he still six feet under or has he teamed up with the Bat-man as Gotham's newest vigilantly?"

Sarah decided not to answer him, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he was pissing her off. Her so-called friends had scoffed at her memories of Eric returning from the grave to bring his fiancé's killers down where they belonged. She had trusted them enough to tell them the truth of her childhood and what had they done, gone to the authorities claiming she wasn't of sound mind. Apparently they were worried that she might just hack them up to have them come back invincible, all because she has said she wondered what it had felt like for Eric. Crane had never believed her either, though since he was her psychiatrist at Arkham he had been unable to ridicule her, he was to interested in finding her fears that drove it to bother with ripping the gaping wounds anymore.

She'd never told him her fears though, she didn't tell him much of anything besides what she had told her 'friends', about Eric, Shelly, and her mother. So instead he had apparently changed tactics to trying to pull her mind apart through anger. She didn't think he'd get very far with it that way either, but she'd be damned if she underestimated the man. His degree was not just a pretty piece of paper after all.

Relaxing her tense shoulders she flashed him her most pleasant smile. "You might want to work on the drug of yours before you try terrorizing Gotham again Doctor. The sights and sounds are horrific to be sure, but as soon as I touched your horse it became real again. Or maybe it's just me."

She knew it might be a shot in the dark assuming he was the cause of it, but when his smile slid from his lips and his gaze hardened, pinning her to the spot, she knew she had been correct.

With speed she didn't think someone in his condition to be capable of his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist in a bruising grasp.

"Well then Sarah, maybe I need a new subject willing to inform me on the drugs effects, and weaknesses, so I can make the proper improvements."

His smirk was back, and even more sinister, his eyes and hand continued to hold her to the spot. "Know anyone that might prove…useful to me?"

Sarah wasn't sure if it was his words of the sweeping look he gave her, but she stood rooted to the spot, shivers traveling down her back as she was held in the deaths grip.

Thats it for now, I'll update as soon as I get more written. Good night!


	4. Chapter 4

Ok, heres the next bit from me! Not sure if anyone here is still readin it but I've had requests to write more so I shall!

Chapter 4

_Let the mental basing begin! (Part 1)_

If she hadn't been nervous around him before, she was buried in it now. The multiple implications his words held cut off any witty retort she could have mustered about his mental state being choice for making any improvements what so ever on anything, let alone his toxin.

"No. Well, if you don't know then maybe a volunteer would be too much to hope for. I am not opposed to other means of acquiring subjects, but I assure you it would be much easier on them if they should choice to willingly cooperate."

Sarah didn't know what to do at the moment but remain firmly planted right where she was in the hope he would let her go long enough so she could do something, preferable bolt to find a better means of handling him.

'Yah, like that's going to happen. Keep dreaming.' was the rather sarcastic response from her subconscious.

She didn't remember him intimidating her this much at Arkham, and he wasn't even standing over her, he was sitting down! She soon decided she didn't want to find out how things would go should she refuse. Judging by his grip on her wrist she would have one hll of a fight on her hands if she said no.

'He doesn't even need to be built like a bouncer or some street thug with those eyes. God dmn it I promised myself I wouldn't let him get to me and what am I doing now, nothing, that's what! I've never liked the easy way out but do I really want to push him? Right now I need to play it carefully. This is a dangerous game, and so far I seem to be losing horribly.'

The only thing she seemed capable of doing around him, mentally bashing herself. But there was nothing for it, she had no idea to the extent of what Crane was capable of, now didn't seem the proper time to find out either.

If it was possible his grip had just gotten tighter around her bony wrist. Sarah winced when she felt his nails digging into her bruised flesh, looking down she saw pearls of blood seeping out from under his fingers creating red lines down her hand.

Suddenly a loud screech broke the heavy silence, with a jerk Crane released her wrist, blood now spreading over the back of his hand from several punctures. Sarah took a few steps back away from the doctor her eyes shifting from him to the crow now perched on the end of her bed watching Crane.

Crane was no longer the only element in the room giving her the jitters. Her brain started to throb against her skull, her heart beat against her ribcage like a caged animal ready to rip its way out through her throat.

'No bird would do that, no normal bird, unless maybe it was protecting its owner. And that's a BIG maybe…I'm not its owner. I've only seen a crow do that when…but how could it be…how and why would he be here. He couldn't…not again, he's at peace now with Shelly, the murder avenged, how could it be happening again?' Her mind was racing with impossible notions as to how and why, but none seemed right.


	5. Chapter 5

The second half! (intended on spaces between them but oh well) Hope you like it!

Chapter 5

_Let the mental basing begin! (Part 2)_

Crane too was mystified by the animals' strange behavior, and after glancing at Sarah he could tell she was questioning its appearance.

'Birds would not be above attacking a human, it has been known to happen however rare. But not in such a manner, it attacked me the moment I drew her blood.'

He remembered well her little 'story' of her friends' resurrection, but had written it off as impossibility. People did not rise from the grave, a year after becoming deceased, whole and thirsting for the souls of those who murdered them. It was pure fantastical bullsht. The kind of thing you would tell a child, and any one else gullible enough to believe, that they could be killed by an avenging ghost or cadaver bent on send them to hell.

The crow, after glancing from Sarah to Crane seemed to decide it was no longer needed and promptly flew out the open window as swiftly as it had entered. They both remained still watching to see if the visitor would return to interrupt any further goings on. After many silent moments Crane looked back at Sarah, studying her reaction once more.

Sarah mentally shook herself to return to matters at hand. With a sigh she left the small bedroom, wandered down a cramped hallway into a whitewashed bathroom of blinding light. She grabbed Band-Aids, a few cloths dampened with water from the sink, and a bottle of bactine. After she washed the blood off her wrist and hand and being sure it bleeding at stopped she turned off the accursed light and went back into the bedroom with her supplies. Glancing at Crane quickly to see if he had moved she tossed the supplies onto the bed not really wanting to get close enough for him to grab her again. Not that she was sure it even mattered since she had no idea how well he could move the rest of his body, she still didn't want to take any chances though.

This amused him to no end, but his face remained impassive as he took care of the wounds inflicted by the crows' sharp beak and talons. Once done her set the medical supplies on a small bureau next to her bed and resumed his study of her person.

She hadn't expected him to move so suddenly, so she stumbled back a few paces when he fluidly stood from the bed with a smirk playing across his lips once more. After picking up his shirt and buttoning it up to the top three he quickly strode over to her. Sarah backed up until she felt her back collide with the wall, knocking some of the breathe she was holding from her lungs.

This time he didn't touch her right away, but stood so close all he need to do was lean forward the slightest bit for her to be fully pinned to the wall by his body.

"Was that another friends of yours Sarah, hm? Some guardian angel sent to protect you from me? Because I think you will need more than a bird to save you should you choose the hard way to work with me." He leaned forward enough to touch her, from which she flinched, but could more no further from him then a few centimeters.

"In Gotham your not safe in your own home, people need a lesson and they do not seem to want to learn. I am their teacher Sarah, in some ways not so different from your vigilante. The question still stands, will you help me or no? Time is running out darling Sarah, it is now time to make your choice." Before she could blink his hands were around her throat, pushing her fully into the wall and slowly causing her vision to blur and darken until she could no longer make out his form. Her final thoughts before blacking out were not of Eric but Jonathan Crane, a desperate reach for sanity that he no longer seemed to have a foothold on. Then she fell into darkness.


End file.
